Electric switch construction



Ptcnteu ay 1,1945

srnrss PATENT newness ELECTRIC SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Non Fetter, Freeport, Illgasslgnor, by

mesme assignments, to First industrial Corporsitlon, Wilmington, Del., e, corporation oil` Delaware I connection nehmer-y es, iets, serial No. neces (ci. coo-6i) t iCle.

ieei' springs together constituting e, spring snep mechanism in which c biasing enect imposed on the actuator lever by solei springs is overcome by still cnother sprii'is;v Other objects and udven'toses will be upparent from the uescrlption, ons; trom the V:i1-owing', in which:

Fie. 1 is e; sectional elevation oi en electric switch embodyine my invention,

Fie. 2 is o similar view showing the switch in yoperatori position; enel,

Fig. 3 is a. portici section on line ot Flc. l.

ein electric switch is contoured in e cese ol molcleel, ercrresistine, insulutinu materiel cornprisins c bese it anni cover it cemented together, which cese in turn is contained in e'protective metal housing it. Rivet/ed into tirey insulating bese iii is e. motel insert ill which constitutes one terminul of the switch snol serves also es e mounting for s T-shcpecl anchor member it. ttivetecl in cantilever fashion to enchor it is o, thin lest spring member it comprisine c, pair oi' tension lees ttl, which together constitute the follower linie oi? the snep mechanism, und also c. short central tongue tt which constitutes o com pression erm sind serves os the intermediate link oi the snep mechanism. This compression member tt is normnlly tiet but is confined to u. bowed shape so that it furnishes the resilience for citrine the snep ection to the switch mechenisni.V it rigid actuator link or erm itis pivoted on the anchor it und has e shoulder ttc intenneiiiote its ends to support the bowed thin leef compression member lift the shoulder pro'- viriine c. tree end tto ciiset i'roin the plone oi the pivoted end. This rigid arm it constitutes the actuator link ci the snep mechenism. The pivotal exis of the actuating link tti is located so high on the upturnecl enel ot .the anchor it f thet the line of action of the force exerted on the actuator lini: it by the bowed compression spring it always falls below this pivotal exis. Consequently, this compressive torce of the bowed Spring 22 always tends to produce e. clockwise rototion of the pivotcd erin` or actuating til imi; it; niet is tends to move the nee elio er the member tt clown. it. coil sprinrtt opposes this tendency oi the lever tt enel holds it nor-- molly in its uppermost position shown in lite. l. This coilsprinc it ucts eccinst the oset por tion tto sind is supported ooiustcbly on e. screw l tt end nut tt which nt into e. covity rnoicl in the base it. The upward motion ci the pivoteu actuator arm it is lirnitecl by on uuiustoble screw tt which posses through theottset portion tito. The cdjustments oi these two screws it end itt `are sealed with cement.

The thin leal tension und compression memi bers it und tt curry at their outerpconnected end a. Contact support tt that in turn corriera en electric contact tt that engages und diseneopes y s. stationery electric contact; tt'supporteclin un insert it riveted into the insulator buse it. e upward motion of the contact curryine enel oi the springs it und it is limited by on uiiiuctcble y' y screw tt carried in the base and passing through the contact support it. A muguet itt streddles lthe contacts tt and tt to assist in eittinhing the electric crc formed when the contacts seporete. The 'i"sheped anchor ithus the les ot its 't lying in a, slot il in the molded insulating bese it, where it may be helcl by cement-it.-

l'his construction prevents rotation of theon-Y chor it on its supporting insert it enti so holcls l the snep spring supported by the onchor in proper alignment. A resilient overtrevel 'plser mechanism it is carried by the cover it und is adopted to transmit u driving torce clownagainst the actuating lever it to operette it against the restoring torce oi its return spring it.

When un operatinc force is applied to the actuating plunger it, it drives the pivoted coto-- sting lever it clown. and so carries the supportins point oi the bowed compression spring 22 below the tension centerline ofthe thin leaitension springs tt. Thereupon the compression spring 2l olrives the contact carrying end of these springs til und it upwerd with e, snep action to separetc the contacts it und tt, and open the electric circuit. Upon release of the actuating forcefthe return sprintf tt moves the pivoted actuating lever it up to its normal position so as to reclose the oontucts tt und it with a snep action.

I claim:

1. In combination in en' electric switch coustruction of the class described, en insulating. bose, s T-shaped anchor fastened on seid base, the leg of seid T fitting between ebutments on said base for holding said anchor in alignment `actuating lever being hinged on said anchor and taking its alignment therefrom, and aligned co operating contacts on said base and contact carrier.

2. The combination in an electric snap switch construction of the class described, an insulating base, an anchor secured to said base, a rigid actuator link hinged to said anchor, follower and intermediate links formed of thin leaf spring strips connected together at a point that is free to move together constituting a compression spring and a tension spring, one of said thin leaf links being supported on said pivoted actuator link at a point removed from its vpivot to be carried by said pivoted actuator link back and forth across the line of action of the other thin leaf link for inducing a snap motion of said mechanism, the pivotal axis of said actuator link being located suillciently to-one side of the lines of action of said thin leaf links that the force exerted by said thin leaf links on said actuator-link always tends to rotate said actuator link in the same direction about its pivot axis, means acting on said actuator link between its pivot point and the point of support of said thin leaf spring thereon to move said actuator link in the same aforesaid direction .across said line of action, resilient means opposing said movement for moving said actuator link back across said line of action, means acting on said resilient means for adjusting the action thereof against said actuator link, stop means acting on said actuator link for preselecting the limit of the last mentioned movement and stop means acting on said links adjustable to preselect. the limit of movement oi' said spring strips at their point of connection.

3. The combination in an electric snap switch construction of the class described of an insulating base, an anchor secured to said base, a pivoted, rigid, actuator link pivoted to said anchor, said actuator link having an end portion disposed in onel plane remote from said base. another end portion disposed in a plane in closer proximity to said base, and an intermediate shoulder connecting the end portions, follower and intermediate links formed of thin lea! spring strips connected together at a point that is free to move and constituting a compression spring and a tension spring, one of said thin leaf links being pivotally supported on the shoulder of said actuator link to be carried thereby back and forth across the line of action of the other thin leaf link to induce a snap motion of said mechanism, the pivotal axis of said actuator link being located sufilciently to one side of the lines of action of said thin leaf links that the force exerted by said thin leaf links on said actuator link always tends to rotate said actuator link in the same direction about its pivot axis, stop means on said base positioned to engage the second mentioned end portion of said actuator link adjustable to limit the travel of the actuator link in one direction to a preselected degree, and stop means on said base positioned to engage said thin'leaf links adjacent their point of connection adjustable to limit the travel of said thin leaf spring strips in the opposite direction to a preselected degree, said base being shaped to limit travel of said actuator link in a second direction at a fixed point in its travel.

4. In combination in an velectric snap switch construction of the class described, an insulating base, a rigid actuator arm pivoted atfone end on said base, a follower arm. and an intermediate link, said three members acting together so that: said actuator is stressed thereby in compression, said follower is stressed in tension and said intermediate link is stressed in compression; said three members together constituting a spring snap mechanism, the support Ifor said actuatorA arm being sulciently to one side of the lines of action oi said intermediate link that the force imposed on said actuator arm by said intermediate link tends to swing said arm on its pivot only to that one side, separate spring means for urging said actuator in the opposite direction, means for driving said arm in the rst direction for operating said switch, stop means -on said base positioned to engage said actuator arm, adjustable to limit its travel to a preselected degree under the influence of said separate spring means, and stop means on said base positioned to engage said follower, adjustable to limit travel of said snap mechanism in the opposite direction to a preselected degree.

NORMAN C. FETTER. 

